Showing 11 - 20 of 441
Redefining what's 'appropriate'
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 27/11/2017
» After seven years, the first Thai film banned by the Film Act 2008 will see the light of day.
Nang Loeng neighbourhood is no longer a banana republic
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 02/03/2018
» Figures in colourful aprons weaving through traffic selling bags of banana fritters have long been a familiar sight in Nang Loeng neighbourhood of Bangkok. But today, the roads felt almost empty without their presence.
Letting go of unhealthy foods
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 04/07/2016
» Every day, Phra Pisit Siriwathatano would leave his temple at dawn to conduct a daily alms round in his neighbourhood of Nonthaburi. Taking about two hours, the monk later returned to the monastery with a full alms bowl and a large sack filled with food offerings from Buddhist laymen and laywomen. Sometimes, people would also visit the temple to offer lunch to him and other monks.
Dancer in the light
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 25/08/2015
» Kanyanan Jittreenit performs traditional Thai dance for a living. It's a relatively safe job, unless you perform at the Erawan Shrine. Though rare, there are a few occupational hazards for <i>nang ram</i> -- female dancers -- at this world-famous, four-faced Lord Brahma shrine on the corner of Ratchaprasong intersection, a site of many political demonstrations and, most recently, a bomb attack.
Carrying the weight of uncertainty
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 09/02/2015
» Under the purple and orange hue of dawn, our bus arrived at the base of Phu Kradueng National Park in Loei province. We had our tents, sleeping bags and backpacks as we got ready to trek one of the most gruelling uphill climbs in the country — a steep slope of 5.5km to the top of this popular mountain destination, which takes anywhere from four to eight hours.
A new way forward
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 01/04/2020
» Many Thai filmmakers would agree that our movie industry is in the rough. Several obstacles are preventing it from flourishing. A group of film professionals recently gathered for a plenary discussion held at Unesco Bangkok to address the challenges of, and the changes they want to see in, the Thai film sector.
Embracing diversity on the screen
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 23/06/2020
» Thailand and the world have come a long way when it comes to diversity of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression of characters on our screens. On the occasion of Pride Month, Netflix facilitated a talk with filmmaker Chookiat Sakveerakul (Love Of Siam and Dew) and Sanchai Chotirosseranee, deputy director of the Thai Film Archive, where they discussed onscreen representation, visibility and political correctness of today's LGBTI content.
The message of the medium
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 28/08/2019
» When the chipmunks Chip and Dale sailed into the bustling floating market in the recent viral Disney short Our Floating Dreams, both the world and local people were fascinated by the images of Thai culture. Busy canals and pineapple fried rice brought about onscreen exoticism watched by millions around the world.
Ghost stories
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 08/11/2019
» Flying in with a floating head and dangling intestines, the reimagined tale of krasue recently made its showcase at the 32nd Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) as part of the Crosscut Asia section that featured supernatural and horrific stories from the region.
The lost signal
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 15/11/2019
» After bingeing on several international stories on Netflix, Thai audiences are finally getting a taste of home in a new original series The Stranded, which is released today on the streaming platform in 190 countries. It is the first Thai original series to be launched on Netflix.